Whatever you choose, I'd recommend looking somewhere other than AL for it. I'm currently looking for a TJ (or possibly a YJ) in the $3500-4000 range. Something to use as a hunting vehicle/toy.......as long as you're ok with a higher-mileage jeep with some minor cosmetic imperfections, you can find decent TJ's in that price range in most places. But, in AL, a 200k mile early TJ ('97-99) is still going to be $7-8000. Now, I don't know if they're getting that much, but that's what folks seem to be set on.
AL seems to be the most expensive place in the entire country to buy a used (private party sale) Jeep.
Oh Yes, they are selling and getting the $. Last February I sold my 98 4.0L/5 speed in good condition with 206k and 2 tops for 7k. Not sure where those 3-4000 wranglers are, but I’d bet they were rode hard and in pretty rough condition.
Sure they're rough, cosmetically. Various dents/scratches you'd expect from a 20-22yr old 4x4, faded plastics, word/faded paint on the hood, etc. But mechanically in decent shape. there isn't a much more bulletproof drivetrain than the 4.0/5-speed. You can buy an early TJ with 200k miles (or slightly less) in decent shape for $5k ALL DAY LONG if you're willing to look somewhere other than the Southest....even less if you don't care about cosmetic blemishes. But, AL seems to be the highest.
I helped my dad buy a 98 TJ Sahara 10yrs ago...found it here in Tuscaloosa. At the time, it had like 45k miles and was flawless. The hard top/doors had NEVER been off of it. He paid $7800 for it at the time. It now has right at 105k miles and is still nearly flawless, although you can tell the paint is just barely starting to fade on the hood. I could sell it for him in a week, maybe less, in Tuscaloosa and he could
make money on it.
